Among the first things you’ll notice in Rías Baixas, a small, winemaking region tucked inside Spain’s Galicia, are the clock-like rhythms of the water. On a recent morning in the coastal town of O Grove, the local estuary was so shallow and empty that its sandy soils, slick with moisture, were as reflective as glass. It’s hard to imagine that just hours before, that same bed had been at high tide, deep and capped by waves barreling in from the Atlantic.
Unlike much of Spain, which borders on the Mediterranean Sea, Rías Baixas (and all of Galicia, for that matter) is marked by a unique, maritime climate—a detail perhaps most evident in the local fishing villages. There, the ebbs of the ocean have provided something of an industrial lifeblood for centuries; even today, in the neighborhood of San Tomé, receding waters bring dozens of women (known as mariscadoras) out into the shoals each day to dig for shellfish by hand—just as they did generations ago.
Despite modern innovations, these sorts of traditions persist throughout Rías Baixas, in the language (Galician), the architecture and, notably, in the region’s deeply ingrained culture of food and drink. It’s easy to eat local here: the many varieties of Galician shellfish (langoustine, lobster, those painstakingly fresh clams) are widely regarded as some of the best in Spain, and have historically proved a match for the region’s crisp, minerally albariño. Of the 12 grape varieties permitted by the Rías Baixas D.O., this indigenous white varietal accounts for 96 percent of plantings.
Consequently, nearly all of the wineries across the five sub-zones (most famously, Val do Salnés in the north, and O Rosal and Condado do Tea, which lie south along the Miño river) are best known for their flagship albariño-based white wines. In keeping with historical precedent, these are typically made from grapes grown en parra—on extended, rectangular canopies—which allows air to circulate around the fruit, protecting it from rot (something that’s long been a hazard in the region’s unusually humid microclimates).
Though most wineries hew close to tradition, many are innovating, too. In O Rosal, for example, winery Altos de Torona bottles small quantities of sparkling albariño; while in nearby Condado do Tea, La Val winemaker Chema Ureta produces especially lush, still expressions of the grape by employing an unconventional lees-aging technique (wherein single vintage wines are aged with lees from three separate years). Other wineries, meanwhile, are offering an increasing number of single-varietal wines made from plantings of finicky caiño blanco (a passion at Terras Gauda) and loureiro—an especially floral, fragrant grape named for “laurel,” or bay leaf—at Adegas Valmiñor.
Nevertheless, winemakers here are careful to maintain their wines’ sense of place; the best examples reflect the region’s granitic and mineral-rich soils, and its ample sunshine. Pair them alongside local specialties—grilled razor clams, steamed goose barnacles and scallops served in their shells, to name a few—and it’s easy to see why Rías Baixas remains so keen on sustaining, and further cultivating, its long-held traditions.
Here, a look at the region, its deep-rooted culture of wine and food and the people who shape it.
A Tour of Albariño Country
Situated around four estuaries along the Atlantic, Rías Baixas sits just north of the Miño river (pictured here), which borders on Portugal.
Owing to its maritime climate, the region is known for being among the greenest in Spain.
It’s also home to unique architecture; many homes here are built from granite, but are colorfully painted, like these in the seaside town of A Guarda, located a short distance from the mouth of the Miño river.
Proximity to the ocean, ample rainfall and a variety of microclimates have contributed to the well-established culture of food and drink in Rías Baixas.
Especially important to the region are its albariño-based wines, which are most often paired with plates of freshly grilled or steamed shellfish.
Some of the oldest wineries in the region today are housed in historic estates, known as pazos. Examples include Pazo San Mauro and Pazo Señorans (pictured here), both of which date to the 16th century.
Pazo Señorans winemaker Ana Quintela works with albariño grapes sourced from the Salnés Valley, some of which are grown on the property.
Many of the region’s vines are trained en parra to prevent rot. Pictured here, the vineyards at La Val, which offer views of Portugal in the distance.
La Val winemaker Chema Ureta has, since 2003, been making especially lush examples of Albariño (which are aged on lees from three different vintages), in addition to the winery’s flagship bottling.
Equally important to the culture of Rías Baixas is the region’s food, including cured and fresh meats available at local markets, such as this one in Pontevedra.
Naturally, each market has an especially diverse selection of seafood, brought in fresh each day, from clams to langoustines (far left) to Spanish mackerel (far right).
At low tide, in the town of San Tomé, dozens of mariscadoras head to the shoals to dig for shellfish by hand.
Traditionally, shellfishing has been done by the town’s women, and today, San Tomé’s local group of mariscadoras is still 95 percent female.
The culture of shellfishing is reflected in the town’s architecture as well; shells are used to line walls of local homes to protect against humidity.
Clad in rubber boots, the shellfishing women dig for their daily quota of razor clams.
At Marisquería A Solaina, a white-tableclothed restaurant in O Grove, the razor clams are just one of many courses of fresh seafood.
Tanks in the front of the restaurant hold fresh lobsters and langoustines.
In the small, four-burner kitchen, a chef prepares dishes like lobster stew, plus freshly grilled and steamed seafood.
Halved langoustines hit the grill with a sprinkling of salt.
The finished plate is served alongside glasses of albariño and a side of locally made bread.